The next moment the man stood before them, leaning on his staff, his hat under his arm. It was “Epiménides Antinous Green.”
“Confess now,” he said, smiling at all of them and looking at Molly, whom he knew best of the three, “you took me for a tramp?”
“Not exactly for a tramp,” answered Molly; “but for one who tramps.”
“What’s the difference, Miss Brown?” he asked laughing.
“Oh, everything. Clothes——” she paused, blushing deeply. Her eyes had fallen on the coffee stain. “Why doesn’t he have it cleaned off?” she thought, frowning slightly. “And—and looks,” she continued out loud.
“Even in the walk,” Judy finished. “Perhaps we can give you a cup of tea, Professor,” she added politely.
The Professor was only too glad for a cup of tea. He had been roaming the hills all day, he said, and he was tired and thirsty. While he sipped the fragrant beverage, he glanced at his watch.
“The truth is, I had an appointment at this spot at four-thirty,” he announced. “I was to meet my young brother George, familiarly known as ‘Dodo.’ He’s at Exmoor College, ten miles over, and was to walk across the valley to the rendezvous, and I was to conduct him safely to my rooms for supper. He was afraid to enter the college by the front gate for fear of meeting several hundreds of young women. He runs like a scared rabbit if he sees a girl a block off.”
“Won’t it give him an awful shock when he catches a glimpse of us waiting here on the hilltop?” asked Molly.
“It’s a shock that won’t hurt him,” replied the professor. “We’ll see what happens, at any rate.”